Air vent for liquid containers, based on the principle of communicating vessels

Abstract

AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, developed to be used in different types of containers, i.e. baby bottles, flask, or other similar recipients ( 1 ) for the conditioning of any liquid easily poured through the upper spout ( 2 ) combined with any type of lid ( 3 ) to close the aforesaid flask ( 1 ); which also may be manufactured using any kind of material, as also it is considered upper spout ( 2 ) any outlet for the liquid inside the flask or container ( 1 ), where this spout can have the characteristics known to a nipple or a hard plastic spout or even a metal spout, as those used in olive oil cans, be they retractile or not, such container ( 1 ) includes an air vent ( 4 ), defined by a system based on the principle of communicating vessels and in the balance of pressures, defined by a duct of an adequate diameter ( 5 ) placed in a vertical or oblique manner, whose lower end ( 6 ) is placed inside and in the bottom of the flask ( 1 ), while the upper end ( 7 ) completely open, is placed outside and at about the height of the lid ( 3 ), where the mentioned end configures external air inlet to the bottom of the flask or lower end ( 6 ), when the aforesaid flask is sufficiently poured, so that the liquid inside the duct or air vent tube ( 5 ) may go to the bottom of the container, enabling the free flow of external air from the entrance ( 7 ) to the bottom of the container ( 6 ), without passing through the liquid (L) and blocking the formation of vacuum in the bottom of the container ( 1 ), before even this same liquid be discharged or sucked from the container ( 1 ).

1 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, developed to be used in different types of containers, may they be baby bottles, flasks, and other similar containers ( 1 ) for the conditioning of any liquid easily poured through the upper spout/nipple ( 2 ) combined with any kind of lid ( 3 ) to close the mentioned flask ( 1 ); the flask or container ( 1 ) may be made of any kind of material, including plastics in general, glass, and metals, as well as hybrid materials combining layers of cellulose and plastic materials; upper spout ( 2 ) is considered as such any outlet of liquid contained inside the flask or container ( 1 ); this spout may also have the characteristics of a baby bottle nipple or of a hard plastic or even metal spout such as those used for olive oil tins, whether they are retractile or not, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that they have an air vent ( 4 ) defined by a system based on the principle of communicating vessels and on the balance of pressures, represented by a duct of adequate diameter ( 5 ) placed in a vertically or oblique manner, whose lower end ( 6 ) is placed inside and at the bottom of the flask ( 1 ) while the upper end ( 7 ) completely open, is placed outside and at about the level of the lid ( 3 ) where the aforesaid end has an external air inlet toward the bottom of the flask or to the lower end ( 6 ), whenever the flask ( 1 ) sufficiently tilted so as the liquid in the tube ( 5 ) may go to the bottom of the container thereby allowing a free inflow of external air ( 7 ) to the bottom of the container ( 6 ) without going through the liquid (L) and blocking the formation of vacuum at the bottom of the container ( 1 ) even before the liquid is poured or sucked.  
   
   
       2 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in a chosen construction, the duct or air vent tube ( 5 ) is located in any position in the inside of the container ( 1 ) while its lower end ( 6 ) remains placed in the inside and at the bottom of the flask ( 1 ) while the upper end ( 7 ) is placed outside and at about the level of the lid ( 3 ).  
   
   
       3 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another chosen construction, the duct or air vent tube ( 5 ) is placed in any position on the outside of the container ( 1 ) and its lower end ( 6 )remains positioned inside and at the bottom of the flask ( 1 ), while the upper end ( 7 ) is placed outside and at about the level of the lid ( 3 ).  
   
   
       4 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in a chosen construction, the air vent tube ( 5 ) is a separate part of the flask ( 1 ).  
   
   
       5 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another chosen construction, the air vent tube ( 5 ) is an integral part of the flask ( 1 )  
   
   
       6 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, the upper end of the air inlet ( 7 ) displays a stopper ( 8 ), preferably to be screwed and has a transversal hole ( 9 ) and a longitudinal hole ( 10 ) characterizing the full or partial opening of the air inlet in reference hereto ( 7 ).  
   
   
       7 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the air vent system ( 4 ) is an integral part of the lid ( 3 ) and, in this case, the duct ( 5 ) has its lower end equally positioned inside the flask ( 1 ), while its upper end reaches above the lid ( 3 ) where it can be properly fixed and, also, it will be able to display, or not, that stopper ( 8 ).  
   
   
       8 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive alternative, the air inlet ( 7 ) works together with specific devices ( 11 ) as micro check valves, measurers, labyrinths and/or others, so that the air inlet is automatically open or closed to block any liquid from flowing outwards.  
   
   
       9 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive alternative, the tubular air vent ( 5 ) is placed vertically inside the container ( 1 ) and it is completely independent so that its lower end ( 6 ) may be positioned very close to the bottom of the mentioned container ( 1 ), while its upper end, after passing through the body of the container is sufficiently exposed for the air to come in and out from the air vent.  
   
   
       10 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact, in another constructive alternative, the air vent ( 4 ) is configured as an integrated internal wall ( 12 ) which is placed strategically close to the wall of the body ( 1 ) of the container, so that an air duct ( 5 A) is formed between both parts, whose lower end has a passage ( 13 ) to allow air in toward the bottom of the container, while another passage ( 14 ), at the upper end, displaying any kind of geometry, functions as the air vent as such.  
   
   
       11 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that in another constructive variation of the air vent ( 4 ), the lateral face of the body ( 1 ) of the container has an external vertical fitting ( 15 ) for a strip-shaped ( 16 ) complement that, in this case, besides having an internal face with a longitudinal groove ( 17 ), also has an appropriate transversal geometry to slide into the fitting ( 15 ), and forms an internal duct, that is, the air vent ( 4 ), whose upper part forms an air inlet, while its lower part—though it has a closing ( 18 )—allows the groove ( 17 ) to communicate with a hole ( 19 ) placed at the lower part of the fitting ( 15 ), so as to pass transversally through the container wall ( 1 ) very close to the bottom, configuring the external air inlet to the bottom of the flask ( 1 ) blocking the passage of this same air through the liquid and also stopping the formation of vacuum at the bottom of the container ( 1 ) even before the pouring or suction of this liquid.  
   
   
       12 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive alternative, the body ( 1 ) of the container has a lateral and longitudinal flattening ( 20 ) along the entire height and on the opposite side of the air vent ( 4 ).  
   
   
       13 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 13 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variant, the air vent ( 4 ) foresees changes as for a specific application in olive oil containers ( 1 A), where the air vent tube is combined with a short tube ( 21 ) and the air vent tube ( 5 ) is placed in the same way and its lower end is placed very close to the bottom of the container, while its upper end is exposed and lets air in; the second tube ( 21 ) is combined at this end and its lower end goes through the lid or the upper wall ( 22 ) of the container ( 1 ), while its upper end is adjacent to the end of the air vent tube, in a very close connection.  
   
   
       14 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 13 , characterized by the fact that the tubes ( 5 - 21 ) are positioned concentrically.  
   
   
       15 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 13 , characterized by the fact that the tubes ( 5 - 21 ) placed side by side or concentrically, are manufactured separately one from another or manufactured in an integrated manner.  
   
   
       16 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 14 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, a mouth ( 5 ) of the very air vent tube ( 5 ) can be formed at the base of the air vent tube ( 21 ) to configure a droplet collector.  
   
   
       17 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 13 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the air vent tube ( 5 ) has its ends directed to opposite directions, and in so doing, a curve is foreseen ( 23  or  24 ).  
   
   
       18 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 17 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, a labyrinth chamber is included in the air vent orifice as to enable the air inlet and block the outlet of olive oil, and, in this case, the liquid inside the tube ( 5 ) will not leak outward even when the can is squeezed, and, also, in this construction, the body of the container ( 1 ) displays a chamber ( 25 ) in its upper part, defined by an upper wall ( 26 ) and an internal one ( 27 ) which, together with the mentioned body will configure an isolated chamber from the contents of the container and, still, in one side, this chamber includes a tubular outlet spout ( 28 ) which passes through both walls ( 26 - 27 ), in a way that the contents of the container may flow through it and, still, in the upper wall ( 26 ), and around the outlet spout ( 28 ) there is one or more inlet air openings ( 29 ) to the interior of the chamber ( 25 ) which, on the opposite side of the tubular outlet tube ( 28 ), includes internally a labyrinth ( 30 ) where the upper end of the air vent tube is placed ( 5 ), and whose lower end is very close to the bottom of the container ( 1 )  
   
   
       19 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the discharge spout ( 2   a ) is not coaxial to the container, being this construction necessary when the lid ( 3   a ) of this spout includes a micro discharge orifice ( 31 ) which may prevent the principle of communicating vessels between the inside of the container ( 1 ) and the air vent ( 5 ), due the build up of the liquid itself in the orifice ( 3   a ) (viscosity, etc.), preventing the pressure equalization and. in order to solve this problem, a screw casing at the discharge mouth may be used ( 2   a ), where the lid of the container is screwed, in a a way that enables the passage of air, with the lid partially screwed, when the revolving movement of the container is performed so that the liquid in the tube ( 5 ) may go to the bottom of the container without the formation of vacuum and, only then, is the lid completely closed.  
   
   
       20 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, for common containers or non specifically designed, the air vent ( 4 ) is formed by a tube ( 5 ) with different diameters, being the upper one ( 7   a ) with a smaller diameter than the lower one ( 6   a ), allowing the inlet of the air and preventing the flow of the liquid outwards.  
   
   
       21 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, and for non-specifically designed containers and containers available in the market, an auxiliary external little tube may be used ( 5   b ) substantially close to the tube ( 5 ) though with a much smaller diameter, with the purpose of keeping the pressures equalized at the levels of the liquid inside the container and the air vent tube, as also the mentioned auxiliary little air vent tube ( 5   b ) is in an inverted position in relation to the normal air vent tube ( 5 ), in other words, its external air inlet ( 7   b ) is in a lower position or turned downwards, while its end ( 6   b ) is in communication with the interior of the container ( 1 ).  
   
   
       22 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the air vent ( 4 ) is formed by an inverted tube ( 5 ), having its open end ( 7 ) turned downward, close to the floor of the container while its other end ( 6 ) is substantially close to the lid ( 3 ), where it is in communication with the inside of the container, and where the air that comes in through the lower end is introduced ( 7 ).  
   
   
       23 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the air vent ( 5 ) has its end or lower opening ( 6 ) strategically positioned before the bottom of the container, while its upper end is placed in the region of the lid ( 3 ), where it may or may not receive the stopper ( 8 ), device ( 1 ) and reduction in the diameter ( 7   a ) as also this air vent tube ( 5 ) may be internal, external or integrated to the container.  
   
   
       24 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 23 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the air vent ( 4 ) is formed as an integrated wall ( 32 ) in the internal part of the container ( 1 ), forming a different duct ( 33 ) that, in its upper part includes an opening of air flow, while the lower part shows an opening ( 35 ) in communication with the inside of the mentioned container ( 1 ).  
   
   
       25 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 23 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the air vent tube ( 5 ) has the lower opening ( 6 ) placed above the level of the liquid, may it be placed in a vertical or horizontal position.  
   
   
       26 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the air vent system ( 4 ) is formed by an internal tube ( 36 ), vertical, placed axially or eccentrically, in other words, in any position, from the middle part to very close to the lateral wall of the container ( 1 ) and it can function according to the principle of the communicating vessels.  
   
   
       27 ) AIR VENT FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS, according to  claim 26 , characterized by the fact that, in another constructive variation, the internal tube ( 36 ) be it axial or eccentric, has the opening ( 7 ) for the air vent placed in the lid ( 3 ) or body of the container ( 1 ) or, still, forming a set, together with the discharge spout ( 2 ).